In Defense of Zac Lee

17 comments so far October 15, 2009 by Steve Hanway

Perhaps it's another sign that Nebraska's on its way back that fans would complain about a quarterback after he throws three touchdown passes in the rain to secure a fifteen point win for the first time in years over a ranked team on the road. Especially when it's a team you haven't beaten in three years and that has taken the division title two years straight. But the "put in Green" movement (or PIG for short) seems to have its members, and may be greatly influenced by what happens against Texas Tech this week.

So far, there's not much to take issue with in the home games against Sun Belt teams. Zac Lee completed 76% of his passes for 10.5 yards per ATTEMPT and 7 touchdowns against 1 interception. Cody Green in those games managed less than 6 yards per pass attempt with a single touchdown (that seemed more like a Rex Burkhead run). The rushing stats are pretty lopsided in favor of Green as he averaged thirteen yards per carry in those games versus just two for Lee. But it was Lee's playmaking that set the table for Green to rush like that in garbage time.

Then there's Virginia Tech. They're the team that is defensively among the best in the country year in and year out and that almost never loses at home. They (and their fans) helped Lee have a very bad game. And yet, if a few small things were different in that game (like Nebraska stops an 88 yard drive in the last two minutes), he walks out victorious. He also put passes into the hands of Mike McNeil and Menelik Holt in the end zone but McNeil's touchdown was called back due to a penalty and Holt couldn't hang onto the ball when he landed on the ground. Until those last two minutes, the Hokies' Tyrod Taylor was having a worse day than Lee. Both Taylor and Lee are among the top 30 players in the country in pass efficiency, despite that day.

Then came Missouri. There were bad throws, but there were also bad conditions. There were missed receivers, but there were also dropped passes. The first touchdown pass was the kind that you have to make, though a surprising number of quarterbacks might overthrow or underthrow a receiver in that spot. The next pass to Paul in traffic had to be in the right spot or else it's an interception. The pass to McNeil that ultimately iced the game couldn't have been better. Lee was under pressure. McNeil was held a bit and needed an extra second to break free. Lee lofted the ball to where McNeil was going to be with enough touch to make it an easy catch. A true freshman isn't going to make that play. Yes, the defense set up Nebraska to make those plays, but Lee ultimately made them. While the rushing numbers for Nebraska balanced out OK for Missouri, most of them came on NU's final drive and thus did nothing to really set up the passing game. Lee got Nebraska the points they needed, when they needed them.

This week, the Huskers may need a lot of points to take down Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are the second best scoring team in the country. They get in the backfield and put their opponents in a lot of third and long situations. Lee will need to make plays in the passing game for Nebraska to win. It's conceivable that NU could score 30 points and lose. And while that might raise questions about the defense, no doubt Lee will be a scapegoat in the eyes of some fans.

So if Lee wants to quite the PIGs, he'll need a big game Saturday.

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17 comments so far

Orthodox Oct 15 09

I'm not one of the "PIGs". I dont think he has the full grasp of the offense yet, and if he was put into a starting role, he would need a few weeks for an adjusment/learning period that Nebraska cannot afford, since we are now into conference play.

However I am concerned about Zac Lee, and I think that I have the right to be concerned. Granted it doesn't matter how accurate the passing is if receivers don't make catches, which we have seen in several instances this year. But a lot of the passes I saw against Mizzou and Va Tech make me think that we should send Zac Lee to Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban, (or at least throw passes behind them) Sure both Va Tech and Missouri aren't quite exactly ideal playing conditions. But a passer efficiency rating of 88 between those two games leave something to be desired. If we want to be in a position to win the Kansas and Oklahoma games by using the WCO, passing execution has got to improve.

I sincerely hope that playing at Memorial Stadium will help, and I believe Zac Lee and the entire team should get better throughout the year. Nebraska today is better than last year's team and is significantly better than the 2007 team. As long as the team improves week after week, the division titles, the conference titles, and the top ten rankings will take care of themselves. And at the end of the day I could really care less about ANYONE'S stats if the team picks up a W when the clock reaches zero.

James Moore Oct 15 09

Seriously, nobody should be banging on the door for Mr. Green to play this year in place of Mr. Lee. Cody Green is an enormous talent but it's just not his time yet. Let Lee develop. If Green is good enough to replace him midway through the season then perhaps he should've started from day one. There's a lot to like about the Zac Lee and he should end up being a pretty good QB in the Big 12. He's good enough to win you a Big 12 title if the rest of the team is up to par. A possession here or there to send a message, Ok maybe (think the statements post-Missouri where you pull him out to settle him down and let him see the game). Zac Lee is our QB this year, has been in the program for a few years now, is an upperclassman, and is making only his SIXTH collegiate start this weekend. He'll be more than Ok for us. He's our guy, played well in the Missouri game when it counted, especially when the Monsoon in Columbia subsided. Remember Missouri did load the box and gave us outside throws, and considering the weather conditions it makes some sense. Coach Watson said we'll take what the defense gives us and he tried to do just that. Like the article says, Holt dropped one TD pass, McNeil had one called back due to penalty and also like the article well states Taylor looked MUCH worse than Mr. Lee until the final drive. A tough performance at Blacksburg is to be expected for someone making his 3rd career start. Miami's Jacory Harris lookes a LOT worse than Mr. Lee just a week later, and a lot of people seem to regard Harris as a very good QB. . .

He has a chance to be pretty good at the end of the year. Zac Taylor was playing his best ball as a first year starter in the last 3/4 games of the 2005 season. Lee's got Iowa State and Baylor to tune up on before Oklahoma comes to Lincoln. It's hard to imagine a QB, in his 1st year with meaningful gametime not growing, with (IF we beat Oklahoma) an 8-1 record, top 10 ranking, trips to Blacksburg and Columbia under his belt, and a defense to back him up. We're good here, no need to hit the panic button or bang the drum for the young man to be replaced. . .

Scott Oct 15 09

Good play in mop-up time doesn't really do anything for me. The coaches see these two guys in practice every day.

The people that are calling for Green to start are probably the same ones that shut their TV off in the third quarter of the Missouri game. It isn't his time...yet.

Let's stop playing the 'what if' game and let's worry about what's right in front of us. This weekend MUST be a total team effort to get a victory. Our defense will have to put us in position to make plays...short fields, maybe a pick 6.

Exiled_in_VT Oct 15 09

I wrote this and posted it on another blog when this topic came up this week...

HUSKERS WIN NATIONAL TITLE
Watson, Lee to blame

--January 8, 2010, Pasadena, CA

Following a 13-10 victory over #1 Florida in the BCS Championship Game, Nebraska fans were quick to blame Offensive Coordinator Shawn Watson and starting QB Zac Lee for the close score in the game. "Why isn't Cody Green playing more?" scores of red-clad faithful were asking at the after parties in Lincoln. Several cop cars were also overturned and set on fire in downtown Lincoln, though one of the perpetrators, who shall remain anonymous, wanted to get his message out to the world, "Torching this car was not about celebrating the national championship; instead, it was meant to be a protest against Wats' terrible playcalling..."

Huskerdeck Oct 15 09

The big thing I noticed in this game was when Zac did get something going we would make a stupid penalty. It is hard for this old Swede and Husker to understand why so many teams today make so many dumb penalties. Also there are so many times I wonder what goes on with coach think. I couldn’t believe at the end of the first half throwing the ball and stopping the clock so Missouri didn’t even have to waste any timeouts to stop the clock and was able to use them on the TD drive that I thought was directly Watson’s fault with clock management. I was not impressed with Watson’s play calling and also I think he should have been down on the field to really understand how the conditions were and to get the feel of the players. I think if he wants to be a head coach he should be on the field not up in a glass house. By the way didn't anyone notice the hit that Zac took so he could deliver the to a wide open McNeil. That my friends takes a lot of courage that most of us Monday morning QBs do not possess!!!!!!!

DJ Oct 15 09

It's all black and white here!

Sounds like 1999 to me and I laugh. Sounds like you're dogging out Mr. Green there.

Bobby Newcombe throws and a TD pass to Eric Crouch and threw his hands up in the air and walking towards the sidelines. (Was he happy?)

There is always going to be this 'play the backup over the starter'. As I said a few weeks ago, give the dude some PT at least once or twice during the early stages of the game anyway. Chase Daniel when Brad Smith was at Mizzou. Tim Tebow when Chris Leak and the Gator won the first Championship. That's just a few to name. This scenario is more likely to happen next year than this year.

DJ Oct 15 09

It's all black and white here!

Sounds like 1999 to me and I laugh. Sounds like you're dogging out Mr. Green there.

Bobby Newcombe throws and a TD pass to Eric Crouch and threw his hands up in the air and walking towards the sidelines. (Was he happy?)

There is always going to be this 'play the backup over the starter'. As I said a few weeks ago, give the dude some PT at least once or twice during the early stages of the game anyway. Chase Daniel when Brad Smith was at Mizzou. Tim Tebow when Chris Leak and the Gators won in 2006. That's just a few to name. This scenario is more likely to happen next year than this year when Lee is a senior.

PSW Oct 15 09

Steve,
Excellent take. I think Zac has had two tough games on the road. The one at Va. Tech and the monsoon in Missouri. I said before he threw two TD's in hokieville that were taken off the board by other players miscues, then in Missouri he has to play in unreal weather on a night when the power blows out. Give the kid a break and a bit of time. I for one am not a PIG !

James Oct 15 09

Earlier this season, the QBs were asked by the coaches to mark down ALL the offensive plays that they KNOW they can run right now, inside out, forwards and backwards. Lee marked down every play, over 200. Green stated thet he marked 15 to 20. Even Green knows he's not ready.

WyHuskerFan Oct 16 09

IMHO Lee doesn't need defending. He's played well enough to lead a team that's 4-1, and if he had WR support they could be 5-0 (I still lay the VT loss at the foot of the offense). What I really like about Lee is there's no quit in the young man. The one observation I have is that we were told he was more athletic than Ganz, however I don't see him do the zone read and then run the way Ganz did.

DJ Oct 16 09

That mark down was before the season opener. Cody Green is further along than he was a month ago and a half ago. James, get your head out of your butt.

LT Oct 17 09

This not Lee's first rodeo. Maybe playing Div-1 football, but he did play in a big game in the N/C game for Junior College's. He has a dad that he has been able to turn to for advice, his whole life. On how to be a lead a team. He has the arm and the legs to be a top Div-1 Q/B. He shows flashes of that at home. Now he needs to start doing that on the road. I expect him to play a very good game against TT, but once again its a home game. I thought he would beat out Witt, before Witt left anyway, and I guess Witt saw that also. The young man has a lot to carry on his shoulders the rest of the season, is he up to it? Will see by the Kansas game. After the slug fest the Okl game should be, win or lose, how hi or low the team is at Kansas will tell the story on mister Lee on what kind of a leader he will be.
GBR